The Attack on the Private Lives

The Attack on the Private Lives

In the last 20 years, there has been an attack on the private lives of the rich, powerful, and famous. Sports figures, movie and music stars, political figures and powerful business men have felt pressure of cameras in their faces, media snooping in their garbage, and film crews stating out the most private of events such as weddings, births, vacations and funerals on loved ones. Not only are these celebrities are target for the media, so are they families. Lately, the media seem to be having a feeding frenzy on the personal lives of our celebrities and other people of prominence. This invasion of privacy is in direct opposition to our rights as Americans. We value our right to privacy so much that we have incorporated this right in our Constitution. The media, however, in their insatiable need to sell their product, have peeped into every nook and cranny of prominent people’s lives.  This is a legal and moral intrusion of their private lives, and places these people in jeopardy.
          We Americans treasure our privacy. Why not accord this same right to the people who govern and entertain? They have lives outside their public lives. If we violate their sanctuary, we might be setting a bad precedent for our own right to privacy. Where will it end? Will nothing be sacrosanct? Will we have the right to poke cameras in people’s homes and peer through windows with binoculars? How much does the viewing public really need to know about he celebrity or politician? Will knowing about their eating habits, leisure time and marital lives enhance our understanding of a film they have made, a song they have written, or legislation they have passed?  It satisfies only our unsavory need to peek into other people’s business. We do not need to know their business, but many of us want to know their business. This is not reason enough to attack their privacy. 
          Furthermore, this desire to transcend respect and decency has had some tragic consequences. Remember the...

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